Marcos René "El Chino" Maidana

:?

WTF, this dude just disappeared.

He was less competitive in the rematch with Mayweather, but still arguably every bit as competitive as would be the p4p #2 in the world eight months later...and going by his performance in the first match he was slotted by most as ranking among the most dangerous h2h welterweights out there.

He made plenty of money in 2014 as Mayweather's foil, but enough on which to retire? He's only 32 and has now wasted a year of his prime (while on better-than-ever form under Roberto García).

Exactly three weeks from today he will be dropped from the rankings of every sanctioning org as well as the esteemed TBRB, as is the norm for boxers with a full calendar year of inactivity. He doesn't even have anything rumored, let alone scheduled.

Broner has been whining about wanting a rematch ever since he was mugged by Maidana in December of 2013 in an early Christmas present for the fans. If he snatches the vacant WBA 140lb title from Khabib Allakhverdiev it perfectly incentivizes Maidana to drop back down for a cash & title grab and to make Broner yet again eat his words by doubling up on the victory and proving it no fluke (which nobody except Broner really believes anyway). The fact that Maidana would have to cut down to make the super lightweight limit for the first time in four years (since he fought Petrov, a win that has aged very well given Petrov's success in Boxcino) would enlarge Broner's delusions of being able to do better this go-around, when in reality Maidana has only twice in his seven fight welterweight campaign weighed in at the division's maximum ceiling. He could slough off the 6½lbs over 140 he's been averaging without much difficulty, IMO. That was his consistent fighting weight for nine straight years, after all! Plus, there was a little excess trunk flab carried into both Mayweather challenges (some of it muscle, but a fair amount just bulk used in an effort to use size to his advantage, given that he rehydrated substantially on both nights, once by a whopping nineteen pounds!) he could probably lose healthily enough by just toning up.

Or at the very least, he can settle the score with his old buddy/amateur rival & roommate/personal tattoo artist Lucas Matthysse, who is himself going for a light welterweight belt in October. Maidana fought Matthysse several times with headgear, narrowly besting him on a few occasions and drawing a couple. Fans have been clamoring for a professional showdown between them for years now, and both have at times expressed openness to it. No doubt it would be a FOTY candidate if and when it ever happens, unless one becomes decidedly more shot to pieces overnight.

Yet a third attractive option at that weight is Cesar Rene Cuenca, another countryman of Maidana's, in what poses a classic and likely aesthetically pleasing stylistic match-up of boxer versus puncher and would draw a nice enthusiastic crowd at home, though it wouldn't generate quite the same $$$ that Maidana vs. Matthysse would.

Then you have Terence Crawford, whom Maidana should probably avoid unless he ups the risk/reward factor by making it a unification after first claiming his prize(s) vs. Broner II, Matthysse, and/or Cuenca.

If he wants a "test run" before chasing a championship, he could make a decent payday (and thrill spectators) by rumbling with Ruslan Provodnikov in a brawl-junkie's dream.

That is all to say nothing of welterweight itself, where there are plenty of attractive pairings. Pacquiao, Thurman (whom Maidana was accused of ducking a few years ago, here's a chance to rectify that), Khan II (another chance to set right a past embarrassment, as Maidana has improved more since they last met), Alexander II (see Khan II), Porter (war), Bradley (could resemble Bradley vs. Provodnikov, and who could balk at that?), Garcia (a chance to do his buddy Lucas a favor and wipe that smug grin off Danny's face), and Rios (war, war, war, WAR - although Grandpa might not want to pit two of his guys against each other) all make dollars and sense.

His jab, punch selection, and overall boxing skills have improved greatly since he linked up with García. His aggression is now controlled and his leather import/export rate isn't as self-sacrificial as when he was losing to Khan or Alexander. (or, for those who remember far back enough, Kotelnik - a world class boxer that even the crude young version of Maidana was able to run very close)

For him not to continue the run of form he showed from September of 2012 until September of 2014 would be a sad waste. ¡Vamos, Chino! ¡Guerra! :toney

 

Actually, that raises an interesting question - are there any top 15 light middles he could beat if he came back a little heavier? I'm think Molina, K9, Smith, Rose, or Trout at the very least. :think

 

Wait. Broner and Maidana are friends now? :blood